OpenOffice Purchase Order Template and Setup Guide

An OpenOffice purchase order template is a reusable document for stating what a buyer is ordering, from whom, at what price, and where it should be delivered. Copy the blank template below into OpenOffice Writer or Calc, fill it in before sending it to a supplier, and keep a copy for your records.

What a purchase order does

A purchase order, often shortened to PO, is a buyer-created record of a proposed purchase. It gives the supplier and the buyer a shared reference for the products or services requested, quantities, quoted prices, delivery details, and other agreed order information. A PO is not the same document as a supplier invoice: the PO describes what the buyer is asking to buy, while the invoice requests payment for goods or services supplied.

Organizations use purchase orders to make requests easier to review and track. A consistent document can help staff confirm that a delivery matches the order, identify who authorized a purchase, and resolve misunderstandings about quantities or delivery locations. Whether a PO is required, and what effect it has, depends on the parties’ processes and circumstances; a template by itself does not establish that a supplier accepted an order.

This version is intentionally generic. It can be adapted for a small business, club, department, or individual buyer, but it is not tailored to a particular organization’s approval rules, accounting system, or jurisdiction.

OpenOffice Purchase Order Template

Sample purchase order with fictional details

Sample only: The following example uses invented names and figures to show how a completed order might read. It is not a real transaction.

• Buyer: North Field Community Garden, 18 Cedar Lane, Exampleville
• PO number and date: NFG-2026-014, November 2, 2026
• Supplier: Green Shed Supplies, 40 Sample Road, Exampleville
• Delivery: Garden tool shed, by November 16, 2026
• Line items: 4 hand trowels at 8.00 each; 2 watering cans at 15.00 each
• Subtotal: 62.00; delivery charge: 5.00; total before any applicable tax: 67.00

In a working document, the buyer would confirm whether the prices and charges are current, complete any applicable tax field according to its own process, and ensure the supplier has the same order details. The sample’s arithmetic is simply 4 × 8.00 plus 2 × 15.00, plus the stated 5.00 delivery charge.

What to include in each field

Give the PO a unique identifier and an order date. A simple sequence such as 2026-014 can make filing and follow-up easier, provided it does not duplicate another order in the same numbering system. The buyer and supplier names should be clear enough to distinguish the organizations, and contact details help the other party ask questions promptly.

Use separate bill-to and ship-to fields when the invoice address differs from the delivery destination. If the order is for a service rather than physical goods, use the delivery field to state the service location, period, or other practical detail. A requested date is useful, but distinguish a requested date from a date the supplier has confirmed.

For each line, describe the item or service specifically enough to reduce ambiguity. Include a model, size, color, unit, or scope detail when it matters. State quantities and unit prices in a consistent format, then calculate each line amount and the overall total. If the supplier’s quotation uses a reference number, include it in the notes or a dedicated field.

List delivery charges and other known charges separately rather than hiding them in an item price. A tax field is provided for organizations that need it, but the template does not determine which taxes apply or how they should be calculated. If a particular order raises a legal or tax question, ask a qualified professional.

How to use it in OpenOffice

1. Choose a document format. Writer is convenient when you want a printable page with a simple table. Calc is useful when you want formulas for line totals and the overall total. The same fields can be recreated in either application.
2. Make a working copy. Keep an untouched blank master and create a new copy for each order. Replace the sample or blank fields with the real order details; do not overwrite the master with a transaction.
3. Adjust the layout. Set a readable page size and margins, widen description cells, and repeat or split rows sensibly if a multi-page order is unavoidable. In a spreadsheet, check that printed columns fit on the page.
4. Check the figures and details. Confirm quantities, unit prices, line extensions, charges, totals, dates, and delivery addresses against the relevant quote or request.
5. Save and share a review copy. Save an editable working file in the format your organization uses. When sending a fixed-layout copy, export or save a PDF if that format suits the recipient, then check the rendered pages before sending.

Features and menu labels can vary between OpenOffice versions and operating systems. If a formula or page layout behaves unexpectedly, verify the result in the saved or exported document rather than assuming that the screen view is what the recipient will see.

Approval and order workflow

A template organizes information, but it does not decide who may approve a purchase. Before sending a PO, follow the buyer’s own review process. Depending on the organization, that may mean checking a budget owner, confirming a quote, or obtaining an authorized signature. A small buyer may have a simpler process, but should still identify who requested and who approved the order when that distinction matters.

After approval, send the order to the supplier through an agreed channel and request confirmation when appropriate. Record the date sent and any supplier response in the organization’s usual tracking system or in the PO notes. If the supplier proposes a different quantity, price, or delivery date, update the record or document the change clearly; otherwise, the buyer and supplier may be working from different versions.

When goods arrive or work is completed, compare what was delivered with the purchase order and the supplier’s invoice. This is a practical recordkeeping step, not proof that every discrepancy has been resolved. Note shortages, substitutions, damage, or scope changes and route them through the organization’s normal process.

Common mistakes to prevent

• Vague descriptions: “Office supplies” may not identify the requested products. Add item names, specifications, units, or a quotation reference where useful.
• Unclear units: A quantity of 10 could mean individual pieces, boxes, hours, or another unit. State the unit in the description or quantity field.
• Unconfirmed dates: Label a date as requested unless the supplier has agreed to it. This avoids presenting a preference as a confirmed delivery commitment.
• Missing destination or contact: A correct street address can still be difficult to use without a recipient, department, or delivery instruction where one is needed.
• Arithmetic or transcription errors: Recheck calculations and compare amounts with the source quote. Spreadsheet formulas can help, but they do not catch an incorrectly typed quantity or price.
• Untracked revisions: If details change after the PO is sent, identify the revised version and make sure the supplier receives it. Keeping conflicting copies without dates or revision notes invites confusion.
• Premature numbering: Avoid assigning a number that duplicates a prior order. A simple register of issued POs can help maintain a sequence.

Writer or Calc: choosing a format

Writer is a natural choice for a clean, form-like page that people fill in manually. It keeps the information in a document layout and can be convenient when the order has a few line items. The trade-off is that totals generally need to be calculated and checked by the person completing the form unless formulas or fields have been set up separately.

Calc suits orders with multiple line items or repeated arithmetic. A user can create columns for quantity, unit price, and line total, then use formulas to calculate totals. Formulas need to be configured correctly and checked; a blank or copied formula may not cover every row. A spreadsheet can also be less predictable when printed if column widths, page breaks, or print areas have not been reviewed.

Neither format is automatically the right choice for every organization. Consider who will complete the form, how many lines a typical order has, whether totals need to calculate automatically, and what format the supplier can use. If the form becomes part of a larger purchasing process, use the organization’s required format and approval controls rather than creating a competing record.

Saving, printing, and keeping records

Use a filename that makes the document easy to identify, such as PO number, supplier, and date. Avoid filenames that contain only a vague label such as “order final.” If a revision is issued, mark it clearly in the filename or document and preserve the prior version according to the buyer’s normal recordkeeping rules.

Before printing or emailing, inspect page breaks, table borders, and legibility. Make sure no line item or total has been cut off, and check that a multi-page document identifies itself on later pages if needed. Keep the editable version if the buyer needs to update the record, and retain the sent copy so it is clear what information the supplier received.

Do not include unnecessary personal or sensitive information in a general PO. Share the document only with people who need it for the purchase, and follow the organization’s own rules for storing business records. The template is a starting point, not a substitute for those rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this purchase order template in OpenOffice Calc?

Yes. Recreate or paste the fields into Calc, then use columns for description, quantity, unit price, and line total. Check formulas and print settings before sharing it. The table also works as a basic manual form in Writer.

Is a purchase order the same as an invoice?

No. A purchase order is prepared by the buyer to describe an intended order. An invoice is generally sent by the supplier to request payment for goods or services. The documents may refer to the same transaction, but they have different purposes.

Does sending a PO mean the supplier accepted it?

Not necessarily. A PO records the buyer’s order details, but acceptance and the process for confirming an order depend on the parties’ communications and circumstances. Follow the organization’s purchasing procedure and seek confirmation when needed.

Should a purchase order include tax?

The template includes a tax line because some buyers need to record it, but whether tax applies and how it should be handled depends on the transaction and applicable requirements. Do not assume the blank field determines the correct treatment.

Can I send the template as a PDF?

Often, a PDF is useful when the recipient needs to view or print a fixed-layout copy rather than edit the source document. Check the exported pages first, and keep the editable file if your recordkeeping process requires it.

Related

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